Language Processing in Minds and Machines - with Dr. Brian Dillon
June 16
6 PM
Heather Edwards Theatre
Join us for a rich evening of linguistics with scientist Dr. Brian Dillon, Ph.D. talking about artificial intelligence and human language. In the 21st century, particularly in a multicultural society such as Canada, an understanding of language is critical to all aspects of our cultural, social and political interactions. Linguistic models and theories underlie many of the technologies we rely on, including speech recognition, chatbots, and generative artificial intelligence. Now more than ever, it is essential for the public to understand how language and linguistics contribute to a well-functioning society. Linguistics is a diverse field of study with a wide spectrum of research underpinning many disciplines and professional fields. Applied fields like Speech-Language Pathology and Natural Language Processing rely on theoretical and experimental linguistics. In this event, Dr. Brian Dillon, Ph.D. will discuss the current debates about the fundamental nature of human language, the role that artificial intelligence has to play in understanding this aspect of ourselves, and the role that linguistic science has to play in understanding what makes us human. The talk will be preceded and followed by a light reception and an exhibition showcasing research currently being conducted by UCalgary linguistics students. During the reception/exhibition, audience members will have an opportunity to talk to the students about the research they do and participate in research demos.
Note that registration for the event is free but required and it will close when we reach capacity.
About the Speaker
Dr. Brian Dillon, Ph.D
Dr. Brian Dillon, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA, specializing in psycholinguistics. His research focuses on the cognitive mechanisms that underlie syntactic processing in typically developing adults, with a special interest in the relationship between grammatical structure and working memory processes. Dr. Dillon investigates this topic in a variety of languages, seeking to under- stand how the grammar of a given language influences how linguistic input is processed in memory. He prioritizes gathering insights from typologically diverse languages (e.g., Tagalog, Turkish, Chinese, Hindi, Russian, Hebrew) in addition to English in order to understand both universal and language-specific aspects of language processing. His work uses a variety of experimental techniques, including eye-tracking-while-reading, visual world eye-tracking, and electrophysiological measures and has been published widely in both linguistics and cognitive science journals, including the Journal of Memory and Language, Open Mind, Glossa Psycholinguistics, Syntax, Cognition, and Topics in Cognitive Science. He is now in his 4th year of service as a founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of Glossa Psycholinguistics.
About the Talk
Language processing in minds and machines: What makes language human?
Recent advances in artificial intelligence have allowed computers to use language to a degree that can sometimes feel like science fiction. These advances have renewed fundamental debates about the nature of language, typically thought to be a uniquely human ability. These debates touch on questions like: Do large language models process language like humans do? How does language develop in humans - what is the role of nature versus nurture? What can these models tell us about the distinctly human capacity for language? And finally, what can a deeper understanding of human language contribute to the study of artificial intelligence? In this talk, I will discuss these ongoing debates about the fundamental nature of human language, the role that artificial intelligence has to play in understanding this aspect of ourselves, and the role that linguistic science has to play in understanding what makes us human.
The event is generously supported by the University of Calgary through the Visiting Scholar program and Contemporary Calgary.
You can find more about Linguistics at UCalgary here: https://www.calgarylinguistics.ca/ or follow us on social media @UCalgaryLing.